MANILA, Philippines - A people’s organization, Sadik Habanan Buhid Inc., has filed a letter of complaint against Tara Illenberger’s “Brutus,” an entry in this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and Competition.

The letter was sent to the Cultural Center of the Philippines, one of the digital film festival’s proponents, along with the Cinemalaya Foundation, UP Film Institute and Econolink Investments, Inc.

The letter was also addressed to officers of the Cinemalaya Foundation and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

The letter expressed concern that the digital film was “shot on ancestral lands and featured the name and practices [of indigenous people] without securing the necessary permits.”

The letter also asked that the film “not be shown here or abroad … that it should be confiscated and the scenes [shot on ancestral lands and depicting traditional practices] should be erased.”

According to a synopsis provided by Cinemalaya, “Brutus” tells the story of “two Mangyan kids hired by illegal loggers to transport wood from the mountains of Mindoro.”

In a series of interviews, Robbie Tan, chair of Cinemalaya’s production and monitoring committee, reiterated that the filmmaker secured the necessary permits from tribal leaders—specifically, from the Hanunuo and Buhid tribes—prior to the shoot.

Tan also showed documents that said that the production had “two Mangyans in the art department, as well as Mangyan consultants for the ambahan (singing), weaving and writing [segments].”

Talks ongoing

Tan provided Inquirer Entertainment with copies of documents signed by Barangay Captain Mandy Sumbad of the Buhid tribe and Barangay Captain Gagno Eper of the Hanunuo tribe, giving the production permission to shoot in their areas.

At press time, talks between the filmmaker and a representative of the community are ongoing.

Tan said he hopes the matter will be settled amicably before this year’s Cinemalaya film fest opens on July 11.

(E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com)